


The Look

by daydreamsonacloudyday



Series: Isabel Cousland [19]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-12
Updated: 2015-06-12
Packaged: 2018-04-04 02:51:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4123147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamsonacloudyday/pseuds/daydreamsonacloudyday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isabel and Alistair deal with a troublesome noble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Look

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place not too long after one of my previous fics, "[Political Animal](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3845056)" (it might be a good idea to read that one first, but you probably don't have to). Also, I got the names for the random Bann and the women mentioned from [this name generator](http://fantasynamegenerators.com).

Music filled the main hall of the palace as Alistair held his wife close, their bodies moving together as they danced. Isabel was smiling, giggles escaping her every time he looked down to make sure he wasn't stepping on her toes—which he wasn't, thanks to the dancing lessons she gave him before their wedding.

Isabel loved the fancy dresses, food, mingling, and dancing that came hand in hand with various royal events. At first, Alistair wanted nothing to do with them, but he was starting to enjoy them more and more… it was hard _not_ to enjoy something when it made his wife so happy.

Just as their dance ended, one of Isabel's ladies-in-waiting approached the royal couple. The woman whispered into his wife's ear, and he watched as her smile faltered the tiniest bit, indicating bad news. With her message delivered, the woman left as quickly as she had arrived.

"What is it, love?" Alistair murmured, stepping closer to her, his fingers brushing over her arm. Glancing at him quickly, Isabel took his hand and led him out of the main crowd, smiling cordially at all the nobles they passed, keeping up her queenly persona until they had a bit of privacy.

"It appears Bann Errett is spreading rumors about me," she stated, lips pursed. Alistair quirked his eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. "He's of the belief that I conspired to make you king so I could seduce you and take the throne for myself." His jaw clenched as he frowned, his heartbeat jumping at the accusation.

"That's ridiculous!"

Placing her hand over his heart, she offered him a small smile. "It's fine, Alistair. I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't have to be," he protested, leaning into her touch when she slid her hand up to cup his face, her thumb gently stroking over his cheek. "If people knew you like I did…"

"You're a good man," she replied, her green eyes roving over his face. "But you know that will never happen. "To them, I am not only a queen, but also a hero. They'll never see me as a regular person that they can simply get to know." Isabel sighed, looking back to the crowd in the main hall before meeting his gaze again. "I'll deal with Errett, and then we can get back to enjoying ourselves."

Isabel pressed a kiss to his cheek and turned to leave, but Alistair caught her arm before she could get away from him. She furrowed her brow as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms before sliding them down to her own, their fingers twining together.

"I want to help."

"I can handle it," she replied. "It will be very easy to get him back in line—nothing drastic, just a few choice words."

"I _know_ you can handle it, but I still want to help," he said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to do this alone, remember?"

She huffed and her face lit up, her red lips curling into a smile that warmed his heart. "Okay," she breathed, nodding. 

Alistair stood up straighter and offered her his arm, and she looped hers through his. "So what's the plan?" he asked, as they returned to the main part of the throne room, maneuvering their way through the crowd.

Isabel held her head higher, smirking as she shot him a sidelong glance. "Well, I just happen to know that Bann Errett has three mistresses, despite the fact that he's a married man."

"Three?!"

"Yes!"

" _Maker_."

"I know." Spotting Errett amongst the other nobles, she changed their trajectory, tugging him along to their target. "His rich, influential wife doesn't know about the mistresses, so if she found out, it wouldn't be good for him. I don't even think the mistresses know about each other, and I doubt they'd be happy to find out they're not the only 'other woman.'" They continued to move towards Bann Errett, Isabel continuing to fill him in on what she knew as they walked.

When they got to the man he bowed in greeting, and they inclined their heads in return. Alistair resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck, his stomach flipping at what they were about to do—he didn't know if it was nerves, or the thrill at giving Errett what he deserved for what he said about his wife… or a little bit of both.

"Your Majesties, what can I do for you?"

"It's come to my attention that you've been saying certain _things_ about my wife… your queen," Alistair stated, fixing the man with a glare. His attempt at intimidation worked, the bann's eyes widening as he looked between the two of them, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed hard.

"My king, I would only ever say good things about your wife!" he insisted, pulling himself together. Alistair resisted the urge to roll his eyes—it wasn't a very kingly thing to do, after all. "The bards tell tales of her beauty and grace, of her heroism during the Blight…"

"And you tell tales about how I supposedly seduced the king into marrying me so I could have the throne," Isabel drawled, unamused. 

"I-I…"

"There's no point in denying it, my lord, we have eyes and ears everywhere," she continued. "The king and I do not like to hear about our marriage being treated in such a way." Errett spluttered, unable to get a word out. "We would prefer it if you would cease speaking of such things."

"And you're going to support the new bill we want to pass," Alistair added, the idea popping into his head at the last minute. Isabel looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and while she didn't break character, he could see she was proud of him for his addition. He puffed his chest and grinned, until he cleared his throat, remembering he was supposed to be acting threatening.

Biting back laughter, Isabel turned her attention to Bann Errett. "If you do not do as we say, we'll have no problem telling your wife about your many mistresses."

The color rushed from Errett's face, and Alistair could have sworn he heard the other man whimper. He grew tense, his breaths uneven, as he considered what would happen if they were to reveal that information to his wife.

"My dear husband, do you happen to remember how many there are now?" Isabel asked, as if she didn't know every single skeleton in the man's closet. 

"I believe there's three," Alistair simply answered, watching Errett's eyes practically bulge out of his head.

"I do think you're right," Isabel continued, pouting her lip as she looked up and off to the side, feigning deep thought. "Let's see… there's the Lady Natalie, Lady Anissa… hmm…"

"And Lady Clarissa," Alistair chimed in.

"Yes, Lady Clarissa. Thank you, love." Isabel took a step closer to Errett, looking him up and down. "Bann Errett," she began, the man taking a step backwards to get away from her, his eyes darting from side to side for an escape route. Alistair moved next to her, watching for what she did next.

"Y-yes, your M-Majesty," he stammered, finally looking her in the eyes.

"I doubt your wife and these other women would take kindly to finding out about each other, now would they?" Isabel smiled at him—a dangerous smile, this _look_ in her eyes that said she would ruin the man's life if he ever tested her again. Alistair found it terrifying, and it wasn't even directed at him. His stomach tightened, heat coiling in his groin. He swallowed hard, shifting on his feet; apparently he found it more than terrifying…

Focusing back on Errett, he tried to emulate his wife's glare. He didn't know if it actually worked, the other man too busy cowering from her gaze to notice him. With an utterance of agreement and a hasty bow, Bann Errett scurried off into the crowd of nobles.

Laughter burst from Alistair's throat, and he shook his head. "Did you see his face? Maker, I thought he was going to wet himself!"

Isabel snorted a laugh and smiled at him before pressing her lips together. "That two-timing rat deserved every minute of it," she stated, glaring in the direction Errett had run off to. Alistair softly placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze, his fingertips trailing down her neck as he dropped his hand. He offered her his arm and she took it, and together they began to walk back to the outskirts of the crowd. "His wife is a good woman, and she deserves better than him, but _of course_ she had to marry him because her parents said so. His mistresses deserve better, too."

"He'll get what's coming to him." Alistair offered her a smile. "At least he won't be saying anything bad about you anymore."

"Yes, that's true," she replied with a light laugh. "I think we scared him off for good."

"It was all you, Izzy," he said, playfully bumping his shoulder to hers.

She bumped him back. "You helped." 

"Maybe a little." He stared at her, a silly grin on his face as warmth bloomed in his chest. He was so thankful he'd been able to marry the woman he loved. To be stuck in a loveless marriage… he couldn't even picture it.

"What are you thinking about?" Isabel suddenly asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You… us."

"Oh?"

Alistair huffed, looking down before meeting her gaze. "I can't believe he has _three_ mistresses. I just… I can't even think about the _possibility_ of one, let alone three."

"Well, I wouldn't be doing a very good job of seducing you for the crown if you had mistresses," she joked, a smirk on her lips.

"Trust me, you do a very good job of seducing me," he said, a rush of air leaving his lungs, "even when you're not trying to." He felt himself begin to blush as his mind wandered back to that _look_ she'd given Errett, and was suddenly too hot in the main hall.

Isabel stopped walking and stepped up to him, so, _so_ close, but not close enough for their bodies to touch. Alistair's gaze fell to the décolletage of her dress, and his thoughts shifted, his hands twitching at his side as he resisted the urge to press her flush against him. He opened his mouth to answer her, barely remembering that they were still having a conversation, but he couldn't focus enough to get a response out. He was too busy thinking about that _look_ while he stared down her dress. 

"Is that why you're looking at me like you want to peel this dress right off me?" she teased. Alistair snapped his eyes back up to hers, rubbing the back of his neck as he blushed deeper. 

"I… uh… it's that _look_ , okay?" 

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh at him. "What look?"

"That _smile_ you flashed at Bann Errett," he explained, his hands finding her hips. "It was the scariest look I've ever seen, but _Maker's breath_ , it's doing things to me."

She burst out into laughter, so loud it attracted the attention of a few people near them, and she covered her mouth, composing herself. "Oh, Alistair, I love you so much," she breathed, resting her hands on his chest.

His answer was to close the distance between them, his lips finding hers in a deep kiss. It was completely inappropriate for the King of Ferelden to kiss his Queen in such a way in public, but damn it all, _he didn't care_. Isabel didn't seem to care much either, humming in delight as her her hands snaked up around his neck, her fingers carding through his hair while she pressed herself closer to him. She nibbled on his lip as she kissed him, drawing out a groan from the back of his throat. 

When she pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. Her lips were curled into a devious little smile, and her green eyes were dark as she stared at him hungrily. "What do you say we get out of here? I'm curious to find out exactly what that look does to you," she purred.

Alistair chuckled. "Lead the way, love." 


End file.
